Photography: Jake Harm Nam
Some friendships never go out of style.
Melbourne pop duo The Marion Cranes return with “On Your Side”, a new single and music video celebrating long-term friendship, growing older and the people who somehow make you feel like nothing has changed.
At its heart, “On Your Side” is a love song – just not necessarily the kind you’d expect.
It’s about the kind of love that lives inside a friendship that has survived different versions of yourselves, relationships, changing fashions and the various curveballs life throws your way. You get older, life moves on, but with the right person, you can still pick up exactly where you left off.
“‘On Your Side’ was definitely one of the slow ones. We kept coming back to it and changing tiny things until it felt right. Sometimes we’ll write a song in a day, and sometimes apparently we need years.”
The result is a song and video that feel nostalgic without belonging to any particular era – much like the friendship between bandmates Glen Prins and Dane Yule.
“We’ve both changed, life has changed, but somehow when we’re together it still feels the same.”
The accompanying video brings that sentiment to life through a striking visual world, with direction by Fagyn Gwyther-McCuskey and on-set creatives Audrey Pfeiffer and Dale Garsed.
The Marion Cranes began making music together as housemates in Melbourne in 2017, releasing their debut single “Sexy Motivation” before going on to earn triple j airplay, release an EP, tour and play festivals.
Nearly a decade on, Glen and Dane are doing things a little differently. Rather than chasing the live circuit or following the usual expectations of being in a band, they’re more interested in making music and videos together when they genuinely have something to say.
That doesn’t mean they’ll never find themselves back on a stage. For now, they’re happy making pop music on their own terms, with their friendship at the centre of it all.
Because some things are worth holding onto.
The boys are forever.
“ON YOUR SIDE” – MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Director: Fagyn Gwyther-McCuskey & The Marion Cranes
On-set creatives: Audrey Pfeiffer & Dale Garsed
ABOUT THE MARION CRANES
The Marion Cranes are Melbourne best friends Glen Prins and Dane Yule, who began making music together as housemates in 2017.
Since then, they’ve released an EP and music videos, received triple j airplay, toured and played festivals — all while navigating the usual business of growing up.
Nearly a decade later, they’re less interested in what a band is supposed to do and more interested in making pop music together whenever the mood strikes.
Two girlfriends. Still making music.
Blending experimental new music with the anthems that propelled them into the mainstream, Portugal The Man returned to Sydney with a two-part set that reflected a band continuing to evolve beyond its biggest hits.
Portugal The Man have never been a band content to stay in one lane. Moving between psychedelic rock, experimental arrangements and infectious indie-pop, the American group has built a career on constantly reshaping its sound. At Sydney’s Metro Theatre, that evolution took centre stage, with a performance that balanced the unfamiliar territory of their latest album, SHISH, against the crowd-pleasing tracks that first introduced them to a wider audience.
Their return to Sydney also carried a sense of perspective. When the band last toured the city, they were riding the success of Woodstock, the album that delivered their breakout hit, “Feel It Still”. Years later, with a much broader catalogue to draw from, Portugal The Man arrived with more than nostalgia on the agenda. The two-part set offered an opportunity to revisit the music that made them festival favourites while introducing a newer, more experimental chapter of their career.
The opening set, dedicated to SHISH, established an experimental tone. Rather than immediately reaching for their biggest hits, the band explored tracks such as “Denali” and “Knik”, giving their newer material room to breathe. It was an ambitious approach that highlighted their willingness to push beyond familiar territory, setting the scene for a contrasting second half.
That shift arrived with “Feel It Still”, whose infectious groove brought the band’s mainstream appeal back into focus. “Modern Jesus” followed with a sharper alternative-rock edge, while “Purple Yellow Red and Blue” revisited the psychedelic foundations that helped define their earlier work. Together, these songs demonstrated Portugal. The Man’s ability to balance unconventional arrangements with melodies that remain instantly accessible.
Frontman John Gourley remains central to that identity, with his vocals anchoring a sound that moves between contrasting styles. The band’s collective musicianship helps connect these shifts, creating a performance that draws on both experimental rock and polished pop sensibilities. The lighting and visual atmosphere further offered an opportunity to complement the music’s psychedelic character, reinforcing the contrast between the exploratory opening set and the more familiar anthems that followed.
The setlist also embraced the band’s genre-crossing collaborations. “Phoenix”, their track with Marshmello, highlighted their willingness to venture beyond conventional indie rock, while “Glide”, their collaboration with NEIKED, added another pop-oriented dimension to the performance. These selections reflected a group comfortable moving between styles without losing its distinctive identity.
Ultimately, the contrast between the two sets defined the evening. The SHISH material showcased a band still willing to experiment, while the second half demonstrated why its established anthems continue to resonate. Compared with their previous Sydney visit, the performance reflected a group that has moved beyond the expectations created by its mainstream success without abandoning the melodies that made it popular.
At Metro Theatre, Portugal The Man offered a reminder that longevity in alternative music is not about repeating a winning formula. It is about allowing a sound to evolve while retaining its essential character and that is where Portugal The Man remain at their most compelling not in recreating the moment that made them famous, but in continuing to discover what their music can become.
Photography & Words: Jake Harm Nam
Across six weeks in November and December, Sydney’s Seymour Centre Courtyard will be turned into the best of playgrounds for some of the city’s best names in nu-jazz, neo-soul and R&B to demonstrate exactly how strong and beautiful this brand of artistry is.
As an evolution of the venue’s former, and beloved, Seymour Nights program, SEYMOUR SOUNDS makes its debut with a free program that spotlights compelling and innovative sounds, delivered by performers whose music talent is only matched by their charisma and unique style.
Featuring the talents of artists including SETWUN, ELLA HABER, ANIESZKA, YASMINA SADIKI, RIAH, FLUX STATE and more, the live music series is set to become a surefire staple of Sydney’s Spring/Summer calendar.
“This reimagining of our courtyard series celebrates those who live, work, play and create in our neighbourhood. Find new sounds, hang out with local artists, fans, friends, situational peeps, or just come as you are, and enjoy the music, as we build an exciting new space in our city. All whilst celebrating the simple joy of music. In my first year, I’m thrilled to be placing music at the heart of Seymour. Through Seymour Sounds, under the curation of John Troughton, we’re creating space for artists and audiences to explore and to gather and to fall in love with Seymour’s Sydney sounds” Joanne Kee, Artistic Director
SEYMOUR SOUNDS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
Seymour Centre Courtyard
City Road & Cleveland Street, Chippendale
LINEUP
Thursday 5 November SETWUN
Saturday 7 November ELLA HABER
Thursday 12 November AGUM
Saturday 14 November FLUX STATE
Thursday 19 November TAHKOE
Saturday 21 November ANIESZKA
Thursday 26 November RUBY JACKSON
Saturday 28 November MANFREDO LAMENT
Thursday 3 December YASMINA SADIKI
Saturday 5 December RIAH
Thursday 10 December HEY, LOVE
Saturday 12 December JEROME BLAZÉ
The energy of this unique music series is inviting and accessible, styled as an “outdoor living room” to maximise on intimate vibes, bringing the artist close with their audience each night. With Sydney’s Seymour Centre having a long-standing reputation as a haven for live performance and new work, as the University of Sydney’s multi-venue performing arts space, the evolution of a live music series in its Courtyard plays perfectly into the wider ethos of the area: community-first and community-driven.
SEYMOUR SOUNDS is just the first element of a wider push to welcome more artists and audiences to the venue, building upon a strong foundation of shows this year.
The first iteration of SEYMOUR SOUNDS is swinging big, welcoming a talented blend of names and musicianship to the fold…
SETWUN has curated a following in Australia and beyond across years spent developing a deep and rich sonic tapestry. His work as a musician, producer and performer has built a catalogue of music that blends contemporary jazz, soulful beats, deep house, groove, neo-soul and hip-hop. A dynamic solo performer and leader, with his live band The Soulstranauts, SETWUN is one of Australia’s hardest working and well-respected curators of sound.
Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist ELLA HABER has built a reputation for pairing rich alternative soul and jazz arrangements with a powerful stage presence and voice. Her albums and projects speak to a deep love of the sonic traditions of jazz, soul and R&B, while her vision very much remains on innovation and stepping into creative territory all her own.
Sydney-based Ugandan pop-soul artist AGUM has a timeless voice and a stage presence that is instantly arresting. Toeing a line between vulnerability and raw strength, her sound evokes the spirit of genre legends like Nina Simone and Erykah Badu, while her performances are effortless and immersive. Carving out a space all her own within Sydney’s neo-soul scene, AGUM strides confidently into new territory with each release and each new stage she steps onto.
FLUX STATE are a hybrid electronic/acoustic group who have developed for themselves a strong local following, thanks to their expert approach to creating experimental and forward-thinking dance music. Emerging from the Inner West’s DIY underground scene, the group harnesses a unique and chemistry-fuelled sound that brings sheer musicality together with controlled electronic chaos – capping it off with their own signature flair.
Western Sydney’s TAHKOE has been making waves with his own blend of hip-hop, soul and R&B. The musician and producer, nominated in the “Next Best Thing” category at the 2024 FBi Radio SMAC Awards, has been a popular collaborator and member of the creative community; working with the likes of Sollyy, Cherry Rype and emjaysoul, to name a few. Layering soulful vocals over beats and arrangements that speak to his versatile sonic palette and bed of influences, TAHKOE is more than just an artist to watch: he is one of Sydney’s best emerging forces.
ANIESZKA brings her rich catalogue of R&B and soul music home, with the Australian/Mauritian artist having spent much of the last year continuing to grow her realm of impact not just in Australia, but abroad. With over 10 million streams to her name, not to mention widespread support for her music on triple j, BBC Radio, Capital XTRA, Colors and more, ANIESZKA has captivated audiences with ease. Her music is made to soothe, provide solace and love to those seeking it.
Quickly establishing herself as one of Australia’s most exciting voices, RUBY JACKSON has continued to elevate in 2026. The artist, songwriter and producer matches sonic sophistication with a vibrant stage charm. Her blend of soul and R&B feels effortless, while performances as a headliner and supporting the likes of Ngaiire, Morcheeba and more have further cemented RUBY JACKSON’s status as one of Sydney’s best.
Improvised jazz group MANFREDO LAMENT have cemented their place within Sydney’s underground scene as leaders of a new generation of innovative jazz players. Led by Kurt Lam and Gabriel Haslam, the collective boasts 30+ members on a rotating lineup, with each of their shows featuring a mix of local and interstate musicians from around the country, coming together with a shared love of collaboration and community.
Rising star YASMINA SADIKI has been capturing attention within Sydney’s underground for her beautiful blend of alt-jazz and neo-soul. Her music, capturing stories of womanhood, love and philosophies, is driven by a natural curiosity and contemplative nature. Drawing from her own life, YASMINA SADIKI has emerged as a true visionary, her shows are cinematic and moving experiences that are one-of-a-kind.
Hailing from Sydney’s southwest, R&B singer-songwriter RIAH has shaped her sound from her multi-cultural heritage and deep love for ‘90s R&B. Of Tongan, Fijian, Italian and Aboriginal (Kamilaroi) descent, RIAH made waves early off the back of winning Triple J Unearthed’s Indigenous High Initiative in 2024. Since then, she has supported the likes of The Kid LAROI, Electric Fields, BARKAA and more, while continuing to release music that is engaging and soulful, in the same vein as SZA, H.E.R and Aaliyah.
Five-piece live instrumental collective HEY, LOVE blends jazz, soul and hip-hop together with warm melodies and enticing grooves. Drawing from shared creative inspiration and the dedication to unique sonic expression, HEY, LOVE has thrived on offering the room to experiment and reshape music in real time, making each live show completely unique.
JEROME BLAZÉ generates soundscapes that feel completely unique and expansive, with the artist and producer leaning into elements of electronic, trip-hop, soul and neo-classical music to bring his signature palette to life. With comparisons to Moby, Air and Rotary Connection, his music is finely-crafted and meticulously curated; offering his audiences a one of a kind experience.
Australian producer HARLEY GIRL returns with his latest single ‘I Know The DJ’, a playful and punchy cut built around a vocal discovery that sparked inspiration for the entire song.
The track began with a digital deep dive through HARLEY GIRL’s own hard drive, where he rediscovered a folder of vocals sent by creative collaborator Callie Reiff, roughly a year earlier. Among the unfinished ideas was a simple phrase that immediately stood out: “I know the DJ”.
From there, HARLEY GIRL dropped the vocal into a new project and began shaping the track around it, experimenting with cuts, grooves and a production style that matched the attitude of the vocal. The result is a track that doesn’t take itself too seriously, while still packing plenty of bite.
“This one started with a bit of a digital crate dig through my own hard drive. I found a folder of vocals that a new creative friend Callie Reiff had sent over about a year ago for a half baked demo I hadn’t managed to finish. I flicked through and found the the phrase “I know the DJ”. I dropped the take in and played around with cuts and grooves etc. I think the most exciting part for me was just finding the vocal – I feel as if the whole track painted itself for me before i’d started making it. It had to be silly, self-aware and a little bit tough – and I feel it landed in that sweet spot.”
‘I Know The DJ’ captures the spontaneous side of HARLEY GIRL’s production process, and sometimes all it takes is finding the right vocal to set an entire track in motion.
Socials:
https://linktr.ee/harleygirl.vroom
Credits:
Co-Written by Connor Grant & Callie Reiff
Produced by Connor Grant (aka HARLEY GIRL)
Mixed by Connor Grant & Doug Wright
Mastered by Suture Mastering
Visuals by HARLEY GIRL
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I Ya Toyah has released “White Walls”, a deeply personal track exploring the distance between how people appear on the outside and what they may be experiencing privately. Released independently through her own label, Femme Fatale Records.
For I Ya Toyah, “White Walls” began during a particularly difficult day, when writing became a way to process what she was experiencing. The song grew from that personal need into a broader reflection on the people who struggle silently, often appearing fine to those around them while carrying difficulties that remain unseen.
Its central idea is the gap between outward appearances and private struggles. I Ya Toyah describes the experience of feeling isolated even when surrounded by other people, alongside the desire to be genuinely seen and understood rather than rescued or fixed.
Mental health advocacy is an important part of I Ya Toyah’s work, and the release of “White Walls” provides an opportunity to encourage conversations about experiences that can be difficult to communicate. Her intention is to create space for people to acknowledge what they are going through and to recognise that outward appearances do not always reflect someone’s reality.
The release also includes a fundraising initiative supporting Backline Care. All proceeds from “White Walls” during its October 10 release weekend, together with proceeds from new Patreon sign-ups throughout October, are being donated to the organisation. Listeners can also donate through the button on the song’s official YouTube video.
Written and composed by I Ya Toyah, “White Walls” was produced by I Ya Toyah and Johnny K, mixed by Johnny K and mastered by Howie Weinberg. The cover artwork was created by Angelica Dulany, while Alex Zarek directed, filmed and edited the music video, which also features documentary clips by Allison Ciletti.
Based in the Chicago area, I Ya Toyah works across industrial, pop, electro, darkwave and alternative rock. Her independent approach extends across songwriting, recording, production and live performance, reflecting a hands-on commitment to her creative work.
She has also collaborated with artists including Raymond Watts, Julian Beeston, Rhys Fulber and Tim Sköld, and is a member of The Joy Thieves, a large collective of musicians with connections to a range of industrial, alternative and electronic acts.
With “White Walls”, I Ya Toyah turns a personal experience into an invitation to look beyond appearances, acknowledge invisible struggles and make room for conversations that might otherwise remain unspoken.
TOUR DATES
I Ya Toyah joins the performance art collective Little Miss Nasty for a UK tour this December. See below for dates. Find tickets here.•
December 9, 2026: Newcastle Upon Tyne – The Cluny
• December 10, 2026: Glasgow – Ivory Blacks
• December 11, 2026: Birmingham – Asylum
• December 15, 2026: Brighton – Patterns
• December 16, 2026: Bristol – The Fleece
• December 17, 2026: Manchester – Rebellion
• December 18, 2026: Swansea – The Bunkhouse Bar and Music Venue
• December 19, 2026: London – Underworld (Camden)
Find tickets here.
CREDITS :
Title: White Walls
Release day: October 9th
Release: Independent – via I Ya Toyah’s owned label Femme Fatale Records
Cover Artwork by Angelica Dulany
Written and composed by I Ya Toyah
Produced by I Ya Toyah and Johnny K
Mixed by Johnny K
Mastered by Howie Weinberg
Video directed, filmed and edited by Alex Zarek
Documentary clips by Allison Ciletti
Makeup by Janet Debris
A new all-ages concert series for fresh Australian sounds, future favourites and the fans discovering them first.
Frontier Touring and Melbourne Park today launched SUPAGLOO at Melbourne Park, a new all ages concert series created to uplift Australia’s next generation of music talent and provide young Victorian fans unforgettable live experiences.
SUPAGLOO will be an ongoing, multi-genre quarterly series, launching today with the first two events confirmed for 10 December 2026 and 2 April 2027 at MCA at Melbourne Park. Each edition will be curated around the school and university holiday calendar with future events planned for 2027.
The series has been conceived around a simple idea: creating a stage for a new wave of Australian artists and providing an in real life platform for live, loud and upfront music discovery for young fans. SUPAGLOO is proudly presented by Frontier Touring and Melbourne Park and brought to fans with the support of AXS, Melbourne Park’s official ticketing partner.
Today’s launch reveals the first two SUPAGLOO line-ups. Kicking off the summer holidays with the best in alt pop, we’re celebrating local rising stars 2charm with their Ninajirachi-produced hedonistic club music; Melbourne power pop trio Blusher with their spirited live show; as well as high energy artist-to-watch Robert Baxter. The night will be soundtracked by triple j breakfast hosts Abby & Tyrone (DJ Set), bringing their infectious charm to MCA at Melbourne Park on 10 December 2026.
Next year’s SUPAGLOO puts the spotlight on Australia’s breakthrough R&B talent, with rising global star Larissa Lambert making a rare Australian appearance to launch her celebrated debut album Yearning, alongside charismatic newcomer ZIPPORAH, and Filipina-Chilena tastemaker DJ 1SA on 2 April 2027.
Curated to spotlight Australia’s next wave of breakthrough acts, both line-ups reflect the sound, energy and ambition at the heart of SUPAGLOO with the backing of two of Australia’s most established names in live entertainment.
Tickets priced at $49.90, SUPAGLOO will invite young fans to discover and experience the country’s most exciting new talent.
Dion Brant, Chief Executive Officer, Frontier Touring, said:
“SUPAGLOO is about giving young fans a front-row connection to the artists shaping the future of Australian music. There is extraordinary breakthrough talent coming through this country, and this series creates a space where fans can discover those artists early, up close and in a live setting built for them. With Frontier’s artist development experience and Melbourne Park’s world-class venue infrastructure behind it, SUPAGLOO supports the next generation of artists and audiences from both sides of the stage.”
John Harnden, Chief Executive Officer, Melbourne Park, said:
“Melbourne Park is home to some of the world’s biggest sporting and entertainment events, but we’re equally passionate about supporting the future of live music.
SUPAGLOO reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for Australian artists and connecting new audiences with great music experiences. We’re proud to partner with Frontier Touring on a concept that will help more young Victorians engage with live music while contributing to the strength and sustainability of Australia’s live music ecosystem.”
The visual identity for SUPAGLOO has been created by up-and-coming VIC designer Sunnie Kuan, founder of Cheeky Noot Studio, further reflecting the commitment to back emerging local creative talent both on and off the stage. Developed with a bold design, the brand captures the energy, immediacy and sense of discovery at the heart of SUPAGLOO, helping create a visual world for the next generation of artists and live music fans.
Presale tickets via frontiertouring.com/supagloo will be available for both events from Friday 16 October (10am local). General on sale starts Monday 19 October (10am local).
Visit supagloo.live for all the details.
SUPAGLOO MELBOURNE PARK
Presented by Frontier Touring & Melbourne Park
ALL SHOWS LICENSED ALL AGES
2charm, Blusher, Robert Baxter, Abby & Tyrone (DJ Set)
Thursday 10 December 2026
MCA at Melbourne Park | Melbourne, VIC
Larissa Lambert, ZIPPORAH and 1SA
Friday 2 April 2027
MCA at Melbourne Park | Melbourne, VIC
FRONTIER MEMBER PRESALE
via frontiertouring.com/supagloo
Runs 48 hours from: Friday 16 October (10am local time)
or until presale allocation exhausted
TICKETS ON SALE
Begins: Monday 19 October (10am local time)
SUPAGLOO DECEMBER 2026
About 2charm
Queer, tongue-in-cheek and made for the dancefloor, duo 2charm will bring late-night energy to SUPAGLOO’s debut. Handpicked to support pop disrupter Slayyyter on her recent tour and fresh from criss-crossing the USA with superstar collaborator Ninajirachi, the pair are building serious momentum with their electric presence and heavenly club cuts.
About Blusher
The glossy and energetic Blusher have been in your feeds and your earbuds over the past 12 months. Their rave-charged pop anthems are only matched by their spirited live show, full of bubbles and choreography. They’ve supported Kesha, played the main stage at Laneway, and are about to open for the iconic Robyn on her upcoming arena tour. Catch them at SUPAGLOO while you can.
About Robert Baxter
Producer, dancer, DJ and model Robert Baxter is an emerging force from the runways and ballrooms of Naarm/Melbourne. Their radical sound has already made waves – the STARGIRL and PARTYANIMAL EPs have seen viral and chart success – and their immersive, high-energy live shows are undeniable. Fresh from supporting Ashnikko, expect club-ready pop, high energy dancers and standout looks. A champion of queer POC perspective and culture, Robert’s artistry is a bold vision of a modern Australian popstar.
About Abby & Tyrone (DJ Set)
Stepping out from behind the triple j Breakfast desk, Abby & Tyrone bring their infectious energy and charm to the SUPAGLOO dancefloor, armed with a USB stick full of Chappell Roan edits (Abby) and the collected works of Role Model (Tyrone).
SUPAGLOO APRIL 2027
About Larissa Lambert
Ballarat-born Larissa Lambert is Australia’s premier R&B export, captivating audiences worldwide with her signature vocal tone, raw lyricism and genre-blurring sound. From online viral performances to global accolades and co-signs from SZA, Justin Bieber and Ty Dolla $ign, Larissa Lambert is shaping the next wave of modern R&B with her compelling voice. Larissa will make a rare Melbourne appearance, bringing her debut album Yearning to the SUPAGLOO stage.
About ZIPPORAH
Born into the entertainment industry to beloved performers, ZIPPORAH’s earliest core memories have been formed in rehearsal rooms, venues and on stages around the country. A proud Samu and Suy woman from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait, ZIPPORAH has walked between two worlds, embracing both sides of her Torres Strait / Australian heritage to build a career that has always kept her culture front of mind. Her soulful vocals and captivating presence elevates any stage she walks on. SUPAGLOO will be no different.
About 1SA
1SA takes the crowd on a journey through R&B, hip hop, Latin, Afro and global sounds, bringing her unapologetic energy to stages around the world. As a proud Filipina-Chilena DJ raised in Naarm/Melbourne, she’s committed to celebrating culture through her community event Kapwa, and is passionate about sharing sounds that connect her roots to the dancefloor.
Pitch Music & Arts will celebrate a landmark milestone from 5-9 MARCH 2027, returning to the foothills of Gariwerd (The Grampians) for its 10th edition, an anniversary chapter honouring a decade of music, community, art and shared experiences.
The festival today launches its 2027 campaign with a new video, soundtracked by Sam Girling’s ‘Look What U Done’, transporting viewers through archival footage and moments captured across previous editions of Pitch Music & Arts through the concept of a time capsule.
The film follows a snippet released last week, teasing the time capsule from beneath the soil to Yanamaste’s track ‘Evil’, offering the first hint of what is to come when the 2027 music programme is revealed.
Untitled Group Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Filippo Palermo, said – “Reaching our tenth edition is an incredibly meaningful milestone for us. Pitch began with a clear vision for bringing music, art and community together and has grown and evolved year after year, shaped just as much by the people who return as the festival itself.
“For 2027, we want to honour everything that has made Pitch what it is today. We have some boundary-pushing surprises in store, alongside subtle nods to the festival’s earlier years, including elements that reference Pitch’s very first edition. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for this landmark edition.”
For its tenth edition, Pitch’s music programme will once again unfold across three custom-built stages, bringing together state-of-the-art sound systems and world-class production against the festival’s picturesque Grampians backdrop.
Pitch One will continue the brutalist-inspired design language that has defined the stage across the festival’s history. The Resident Advisor Stage will evolve once more for the tenth edition, complete with Funktion-One sound, while Pitch Black returns with its dual-level structure, influenced by Berlin’s underground and historic amphitheatres.
Beyond the dancefloor, The Rock Pool returns after last year’s debut as Pitch’s hidden oasis beneath the mountains, offering a space to cool off, slow down and reconnect throughout the weekend. The Pitch Pavilion will also return as a space to pause between sets, with ambient DJ sets, wellbeing workshops, talks and mindful activities throughout the weekend.
Anna Nalpantidis returns for a second consecutive year as Pitch Music & Arts’ Arts Curator for 2027, following a 2026 programme that included crowd favourite Chocolate Goblin. She will bring her distinctive approach back to Pitch, creating space for the strange, the ambitious, the playful and the unexpected across the festival landscape.
Festival entry will be available across two, three and four-day pass options, with General Camping included with all Festival Entry Tickets. For those looking for a different camping experience, Premium Camp, Pre-Pitched and Glamping options will also be available.
Festival and Vehicle Pass packages will also return to encourage carpooling, alongside Pitch transport options connecting Melbourne and Ararat with the festival site.
Afterpay, Zip Pay and Laybuy will be available from presale, giving attendees a range of payment options when securing their 2027 tickets.
Further information available at pitchfestival.com.au.
PITCH MUSIC & ARTS
5 – 9 MARCH 2027
THE GRAMPIANS (GARIWERD), DJAB WURRUNG AND EASTERN MAAR COUNTRY, VIC
Pitch Music & Arts is brought to you by Untitled Group, Australia’s largest independent music and events company and the team behind Beyond The Valley, Wildlands and Ability Fest.
SUNDER captured a particular point in your life, but revisiting it through SUNDERLUXE means hearing those songs in a different context. Has your understanding of what you were trying to express on the original project changed with time?
I wouldn’t say my understanding of the idea has changed because in the end SUNDER is kind of the same resolve it was searching the whole time, but you definitely get even more clarity about that with time.
What made this the right moment to revisit SUNDER? Was there something you felt the original release left unfinished, or did you become curious about how the material might sound through someone else’s perspective?
SUNDER was this world I had spent a long time building, so I just wanted to explore it further and see where else it could go, and where others might take it.
Remixes can completely change the emotional character of a song while preserving its core. When you heard the reinterpretations for SUNDERLUXE, was there a version that made you hear one of your own tracks differently?
I was so hyped hearing all these artists I love, taking these songs and reimagining them in a way I never would’ve thought of, that was such a sick experience. How Mel Blue flipped SOUTH into this huge major key anthemic kind of UK breakbeat track that somehow fit so well inside the SUNDER world I still don’t know.
Your music sits between alternative R&B, soul and electronic production, with atmosphere playing an important role in the finished sound. How do you find the balance between creating something sonically interesting and making sure the emotion at the centre of a song remains intact?
Honestly those two things are what drives it, but the feeling comes first. I try to capture a certain feeling, and then I do what I can to make the atmosphere and the sonics sort of carry that feeling, that’s how it works for me.
The inclusion of an earlier version of “STILL DROWNING IN MY ROOM” offers a glimpse into the decisions that happen before a song reaches its final form. What did the original version capture that you didn’t want to lose, and what ultimately led you to take the song in a different direction?
There’s a feeling I get when I make something I really like and it’s what drives me to finish the idea, and I got that feeling when I made that initial idea, but I just couldn’t find the pocket for the vocals. After a while I stripped out all the house/funk rhythm sections and worked on a smoother half-time r&b type feel and the vocals came, but I never forgot the feeling of that first demo.
When another producer reworks your music, they inevitably bring their own experiences and instincts to it. How do you approach that exchange as an artist, particularly when their interpretation differs from what you originally imagined?
I think a big part of it is choosing artists that you feel will gel well with you and understand the vision, which they all definitely did.
Your songs often leave space for listeners to bring their own experiences to the music. When you’re writing, do you deliberately leave certain feelings or meanings unresolved, or does that ambiguity emerge naturally through the process?
A bit of both. I figure if I can make things a bit clearer to myself by writing, then maybe someone listening, in a way, might see what they’re dealing with in their own world in it, and hopefully it can even help them to make more sense of it. But I’m not trying to explicitly tell people anything, it’s just what I see.
As your catalogue develops, how do you recognise when a sound or approach genuinely reflects where you are creatively, rather than simply repeating something that has worked for you before?
If it gives me that feeling that I mentioned before when I’m making it, that’s the only way for me to tell really. Otherwise I just get bored with it or it feels stale, and I just leave it.
SUNDERLUXE brings together different interpretations of a project that originally existed in a more defined form. Has working on it changed the way you think about releasing music, collaboration or how long a body of work can continue to evolve after its initial release?
All of the above, for sure. The collaboration aspect has been a good time, especially with how insular the original SUNDER was, not just the story itself but how I made it, so it was cool to open that back up with other people and to keep building it.
Looking ahead, what are you feeling creatively that you haven’t yet found a way to express through your music? Is there a direction you’re curious to explore that might surprise people who have followed JVLY so far?
Yeah, I think so, keep an eye out
Stream:
Socials:
Credits:
Written & Produced by Kayle Butler
Remixes by Mel Blue, Contrecoeur, Lemonade Baby, dj poolboi
Mixing by Doug Wright
Mastering by Ryan Schwarbe
Photos & Artwork by Kayle Butler
For April Stace, the harp is a way to explore questions that extend beyond music. A harpist, composer, writer, Episcopal priest and theology professor, Stace brings these interests together on Aphelion, her album released on October 10, 2026, shaped by a period of personal transition and a changing understanding of solitude.
The album emerged during a time that included divorce, an empty nest and a solo journey through New Mexico. These experiences prompted Stace to reconsider what it means to begin again when the structures that once defined everyday life have changed. Rather than presenting renewal as a simple resolution, Aphelion explores the space between letting go of the familiar and finding a way forward.
The title refers to the point in an orbit when an object is farthest from the sun. Stace uses this idea as a metaphor for the distance that can emerge when familiar structures fall away, creating room for a different perspective. It provides a framework for an album concerned with grief, uncertainty and the possibility of change.
Musically, Aphelion moves beyond the harp’s traditional register. Solo passages sit alongside layered arrangements drawing on contemporary classical, ambient, jazz and world music influences. The harp remains at the centre of the compositions, its resonance providing continuity as the arrangements explore a broader sonic landscape.
The 14-track album opens with Intuition, followed by Holding onto Winter, Train Song and Writing Again. Later titles include Little Steps, Garden, Darkness A Gift and Wild Patience, before the record closes with Aphelion / Trisagion. The sequence of titles reflects the project’s wider concerns with reflection, patience and change without reducing the album to a single narrative.
Stace wrote and performed all the songs on Aphelion. The album was recorded and mixed by Will Russell at Electric Wilburland Studios, with artwork by Alan Pollack.
Her background offers another perspective on the project. Stace began playing the harp at seven and holds a degree in harp performance and composition from the University of Maryland. She is an Associate Professor of Practical Theology at The General Theological Seminary and has spent more than two decades working across ministry, teaching and the arts. She has also released multiple albums as a solo artist and with her band, Harp 46, and written and edited books on spirituality, culture and religious life.
These different strands of her work come together in Aphelion, which extends beyond a collection of instrumental compositions. The project is conceived as an immersive musical memoir incorporating original harp music, poetry, storytelling and visual art. Its approach reflects Stace’s interest in the connections between music, spirituality, loss and transformation.
Living and creating in New York’s Finger Lakes, Stace continues to work across music and writing. With Aphelion, she brings that multidisciplinary perspective to an album shaped by personal change and an expanded approach to the harp.
Rather than offering easy answers, Aphelion centres on the experience of finding oneself somewhere unfamiliar. Its exploration of distance, solitude and renewal gives the album a clear conceptual foundation, while the harp remains the defining voice throughout.
As a child, drawing was already a way for you to communicate things that felt important. What were those early drawings about, and what feels different about the things you draw now?
I used to stick paper to the static on the television screen as a kid and attempt to trace what was happening in real time. Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, football games, westerns, cartoons, The Three Stooges, whatever was on. Everything outside of that was the pursuit of drawing from life and learning the tools to execute with. Through time, the rendering of my stored experiences from this plight became the entanglement that manufactures the compositions now… every drop of the good, the bad, the unthinkable emotions. It feels like all one thing at this point.
Music was also a major part of your childhood, and that connection eventually led to drawing live performances. What did music give your visual work that drawing on its own didn’t?
To set the stage… My very first epiphany in music was getting The Cars’ debut album for Xmas, 1978 at 6 years old. The only vinyl I had up to that point was The Year Of Roosevelt Franklin/Gordon’s Friend From Sesame Street. Two widely varying recordings. I loved the beats and rhythms throughout. I would set up pieces of paper from my drawing tablet I’d cut into circles onto my bed and dresser, pretending to be surrounded by drums, and pound them to shreds with chopsticks. That summer, I heard AC/DC’s Highway To Hell in my neighbor’s basement, where his brother had a DRUM KIT… the first one I’d ever seen in person. This moment was like discovering the holy grail for me. We were only allowed to gawk at it. That was it. I wanted to be a drummer. The first concert I’d attend was The Four Tops and The Temptations with my Mom. I’d go on to play percussion in marching band and jazz band through my school years, coupled with scrappy jams and punk incarnations with friends after school. When I moved to Brooklyn years later, I played in two bands. Discovering early on that there’s a rhythm to making marks, and it most closely associates with jazz in my experience, I sought after that dialogue. This is the adventure, and music has always been a source for me, conjuring audible expression. I’m still always tuning in on the multi-frequency dial, using every sense as a beacon of sorts, to that tiny spark between the two hemispheres and onto a surface. Art looks and sounds like music to me and I love the dynamics.
The first live band you drew was Guided By Voices in 1999. What did that experience reveal about drawing from a live performance that you hadn’t experienced in the studio?
Guided By Voices is, hands down, my favorite band on the planet. There were a lot of years making art that led up to that moment. My studio was a gathering spot for musicians and artists, and I would be rendering them all the time I wasn’t jamming or recording with them. A friend turned me on to GBV during the early 90s and I was hooked. Not just on the music, but their process. I had this romantic idea that they made these recordings performing off the cuff all together. Where it went next level was getting a call from a friend who requested I paint live with GBV for a special one-off show at the legendary Sapphire Supper Club in Orlando, Florida. Meeting Bob Pollard and Doug Gillard after, and hearing how their creative process REALLY worked, caused a monumental shift for me. It was not the idea I had envisioned all those years before, which originally inspired our own process. This resulted in the understanding that we were creating from our own altered mindset, all original. This transition clearly set in motion what would become my sole effort to create the dialogue between visual art and music. No editing. I would go on to draw live with Pollard and other member bands in the years to follow.
Editor’s notes: Bob is an absolutely brilliant multimedia artist as well. I would take that relationship a step further by hosting two NYC art shows for Bob in the years after. The first being his debut:
NY, NY, Studio Dante, 2007, Robert Pollard “Do The Collage”, hosted by Todd DiCiurcio and Michael Imperioli.
NY, NY, The 45 Space, 2010, Robert Pollard “The Public Hi-Fi Balloon”, hosted by Todd DiCiurcio and Vanity Fair editor Michael Hogan.
During a performance, each mark is a reaction to sound, movement and what is happening on stage. How do you train yourself to stay completely present while still making decisions about the drawing?
I do best not to think in the attempt of conveying the most with the least through mark making. It’s all a reactionary stream of unconsciousness.
Blind contour drawing was part of your university training. How does that way of observing a subject show up in the work today?
It’s merely a tool, but plays a role in everything I create. As a way of seeing things inversely proportionate, rendering negative space is recorded much more unconsciously when combined with it, outlining the shapes that become items of interest in the expanding concepts.
A live drawing can become the basis for a much larger finished painting. What happens between that first performance drawing and the final piece?
Absolutely nothing in regards to the live shows. I start when they start and end when they end. It’s my very own dogma, and it was never intended to be performance based, but rather solely done during performance.
Alternatively, my paintings in the studio can take months to complete.
Music has led to decades of collaborations with artists including The Rolling Stones, New Order, Cat Power and Broken Social Scene. What makes a particular musician or performance give you something you want to respond to visually?
One thing is the simple fact that I listen to their records in my studio while I work. I grew up on the other side of the tracks listening to the punk and indie/progressive music scene bands. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of the bands that inspire my work. Ronnie Wood inviting me to capture The Rolling Stones live at Barclay Center in Brooklyn was next level. Tommy Hilfiger acquired that piece for his personal collection, along with the Gold painting of The English Beat for his corporate collection. Notably now, Dope Lemon is exceptional. When I met Angus Stone, I was co-directing a music video with Taylor Steele for his then-new solo release, “Monsters”. I asked him what he wanted to do, and he told me how much he admired Kurt Vile and wanted to make an album with Rick Rubin, which he later manifested. Angus is the archetype of what makes art and music attract in my opinion. Manifestation hit heavy for me shortly after when I was invited to be an Artist-In-Residence for Splendour In The Grass, putting me side stage with Babyshambles, TV On The Radio, Empire Of The Sun, The National, Portugal The Man and others. During this time, I was crashing at Taylor’s studio on Belongil Beach, recording late nights with Michael John Bryant of MT Warning. One Time.
Some collaborations begin with music, while others have taken your work into film, fashion and surfing. What usually happens in the early conversations that turns an idea into an actual project?
To apply my sense of composition to a specific medium of another scope, there is always a relationship forged by a unique introduction. The conversations are often tangential and breathe the rarified air of an entire concept, which become manifestations. My muse Megs has towed me into so many incredible introductions, and I’ve made it my life’s work to give my passion to them. They can take years and demand a high level of focus and belief, because their true originality and lack of structure make them impossible for others to grasp. I’m completely commercially impaired, and everyone wants “cool factor”, but I’m total genericide when shaping these nebulous concepts.
One such pivot took five years from my introduction to Yvonne Force Villareal, via a guerrilla drop of a drawing at her home office, to her making a studio visit and, finally, hosting my 2008 debut NYC exhibition, “Synthesis”, unveiling Santos’ Party House. I would later work with her non-profit, Art Production Fund, and its partners on other projects, including my concept, “Draw Us Sin” at P3 Studio in The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas.
Separately, Rob Machado was introduced to me by Taylor Steele, whom I’d met while I was a juror for the NY Surf Film Festival. Machado’s Melali Sessions Band played NYC, and I made it a point to draw live at that show. Years later, while brainstorming Solento Organic Tequila all together during a surf session, Taylor mentioned to Rob that he should have me paint on a board, which I did that day at his archive. That sparked the idea of a NY show of my art on his boards, which was brought into Chris Benchetler’s Fire On The Mountain during a meeting when we were making said boards. I ended up creating large paintings with Chris in addition to the project and further, all in collaboration with the Grateful Dead.
These moments are woven into the tapestry of my foundation. A world of firsts. They are immensely important and continue to manifest. If I didn’t believe in the unknown, or what one might think is unattainable, and wasn’t creating the entire time, none of it would have happened. I have also been fortunate to work on art-driven brand collaborations, including FireWire Surfboards, Caddis Eye Appliances, Catch Surf, March NYC, Rag & Bone, Kenneth Cole and Gap Product Red. In hindsight, the love and respect for what we all do and create passionately is the measure of how far we can take it… There are no rules.
The work has always responded to the surrounding environment, while the recent Telepathy Exit paintings deal directly with communication and connection. What parts of the world around you are occupying your attention at the moment?
Currently, my latest exhibition, “The Club Is Open”, in Middleburg, Virginia’s newest gallery, The Modern At Highbury, is taking a deeper look into the essence of how everything in the paintings is connected musically and moves through ramifications of commercial existence. Truly an inside-out framing of the work. It is curated by Carlos Linares, who himself is an accomplished musician. IYKYK.
What are you listening to right now? Are there musicians or records that are making you want to draw?
I’m staring at five records on deck that will play in their entirety whilst I respond to this interview…
Elliott Smith – Either Or
Fontaines D.C. – Skinny Fia
Depeche Mode – Construction Time Again
AC/DC – Dirty Deeds
Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression
There will forever be music that makes me want to draw, and I’m always listening for it. My cerebral and emotional recall is hinged to where and when I first hear music. The output reveals my chronicles of humanity.
Telepathy Exit brought 28 new paintings and your first solo exhibition in almost a decade. What changed in the way you approached the work during that period?
I write alongside my paintings. With each layer comes a new thought that could easily be mismanaged or forgotten into the next as I’m working, so I jot down what I think I’m seeing and feeling. These words are mostly just what comes to mind, out of context to color or form; even a subtle blur of the eyes can manipulate them. As the layers add and subtract, things become hidden and others revealed in the tides of a session, normally pivoting between three to five surfaces over long hours. This sea change was the departure from the previous body into what shaped Telepathy Exit. Camille Murphy curated the show.
After decades of making work, what still makes you pick up a pen, brush or piece of charcoal and start?
There’s a mystery in the pursuit of drawing that is always seeking truth. The idea that with just marks alone applied through the mortal experience, the great spirit in every life form can shape the unknown connections powered by the subconscious. I’ve always just felt like a vehicle passing through that static.
Australian artist and producer JVLY returns with SUNDERLUXE, a deluxe album that revisits the world of his acclaimed SUNDER EP as he explores the same emotional and sonic territory through a new lens, bringing together new material, alternate versions and reworked collaborations across 12 tracks. The result is a companion piece that feels familiar, while pushing the world of SUNDER somewhere new.
Opening with ‘IT’S FINE/SOJU ON THE MOON’ before moving through the likes of ‘SOUTH’, ‘DROWNING IN MY ROOM’, ‘LOCUM’ and ‘WALKED THE SUN’, the album expands on the atmospheric, introspective sound that has become synonymous with JVLY. The second half of the record introduces a series of remixes and bonus tracks, with contributions from Mel Blue, Contrecoeur, Lemonade Baby and dj poolboi.
At the centre of the project is focus track ‘SOJU AGAIN’, which JVLY describes as an opportunity to approach the feeling of the original record from somewhere completely different.
“SOJU AGAIN came from wanting to see what that feeling was like on the other side of the record, and approach it from a different place. So it felt like the right song to open the B-side of SUNDERLUXE. I wanted SOJU AGAIN to feel like it belonged to that world without just being a return to something I’d already done. There’s something familiar about it, but it feels like it’s moved somewhere completely new, which is the whole parallel universe idea behind SUNDERLUXE.”
For JVLY, that sense of familiarity and discovery sits at the heart of the album. SUNDERLUXE takes ideas established on SUNDER and gives them room to evolve, introducing new perspectives and collaborations while remaining connected to the world that came before.
“I think SUNDERLUXE is really about seeing the same world from a different angle. SUNDER had its own energy and its own journey, and I wanted to take some of those ideas somewhere else while still feeling like they belong in that world. It gave me the chance to explore sides of it and bring in some new pieces that I couldn’t really fit into SUNDER itself. I also got to work with some of my favourite artists and producers in the process. I guess SUNDERLUXE feels like stepping back into that world and looking at it from somewhere else.”
With SUNDERLUXE, JVLY continues to build out a world that has become increasingly central to his music, one where familiar ideas can be revisited, reshaped and viewed from an entirely different angle.
Stream:
Socials:
Credits:
Written & Produced by Kayle Butler
Remixes by Mel Blue, Contrecoeur, Lemonade Baby, dj poolboi
Mixing by Doug Wright
Mastering by Ryan Schwarbe
Photos & Artwork by Kayle Butler